Meet Jodie.

Jodie is a wonderful mother, a photographer, an artist. She is probably the most down to earth and real person you’ll ever meet, and she’s also my mother. She creates art for Amazon & Sears, which can be found here. Look at her photography here. And get to know her here.

You have an incredible ability to love every person you meet, how do you do it?
Ever since I was in Kindergarten I remember always wanting everyone to feel loved and not be left out. I was the one who played with everyone, be it the class bully, the smart kids or the “bad” kids. Truthfully, I think Heavenly Father Blessed me with LOVE. Of course there have been times in my life when I pre-judged someone without knowing them, thinking they were stuck up or snobby, but once I made a conscious decision to reach out, smile, or say hello, I found that they were pretty stinkin awesome. In my 40’s and 50’s I have not even made that pre-judgement about anyone. I can honestly say that I just love everyone!

What is the first life lesson you remember learning?
When I was nine my Grandpa Gifford died of a massive heart attack. Many times in my life I attended funerals of family or loved ones, mostly on my mom’s side of the family. I lost my baby girl to crib death, was up feeding her at like 4am, kissing and loving her and by 9 am she was gone. When my Uncle Bruce was only 45 he died of a massive heart attack, no notice, he was just here one minute and gone the next. A year or so later, my uncle Errol died of a massive heart attack. Same thing, no warning even though I had just spent time with him a day before. Then, it was my mom. We all spent the day together, went to lunch. She was gone later that evening. Too hard to believe , really. I loved all these people I have been talking about so much. I guess life’s lesson for me is that you need to tell people you love them every day, or every chance you get. Heavenly Father is in complete control. He may keep our loved ones here on the earth sixty days or sixty years. It is our responsibility to make sure we never leave angry, or with harsh words, and you never stop telling people how much they mean to you, because they could be gone in the blink of an eye and you don’t want to have any regrets.

What inspires you to create the art you create?
My art, whether it is ceramics I paint, canvas’s or photography, I guess what inspires me generally is the moment. I always go out on a photo shoot with a preconceived notion of the types of pictures I will take, but the surroundings actually dictate to me what the pictures will be. Originality is one of the key factors for me as well. I remember going to Home Making Night for the Relief Society when I was younger. They would always have crafty projects. Everyone would do there’s exactly like the leader. Mine would always be different. I would add a pattern, or change up the colors or whatever it took to NOT have the same art project the everyone else had. I guess sometimes mine may have not turned out as perfect, but Mine were always unique. Sometimes it is color, when I am painting the inspires me, or a theme, like music. Whatever I do, you can rest assured that no one else ever did it just like me!

Where does your confidence come from? Was there a particular moment in life that sparked it?
I was made fun of all my youth for being chubby. People would call me carload. It always hurt, but I didn’t let it get me down or change who I was. I usually just told a joke or did something silly and normally, most everyone liked me. Even the class bully! I was always chosen for teams, not for my abilities, but for my personality. I always made it fun! I also got invited to every party. I was always told I had a pretty face. My whole life really revolved around my scale, sad to say, but as I got older, and more mature I decided that beauty really did come from inside. Somewhere in my forties, I discovered that I really do LIKE ME. I am a good person, I have great hair and I was given this very body from my Heavenly Father. He really doesn’t make any junk. I think it was you, Tiffani, who said once that if we are healthy and do what we are supposed to and this is the body we have, then, so be it. We were all created in God’s Image, but obviously we are all different. We are not supposed to be a cookie cutter of one another. I remember the time when I was in the Temple doing Initiatatory. I would go from one cubicle to another and look into the faces of the women performing the ordinance that was taking place. I just thought to myself how sad a world we live in where people have to have plastic surgery to feel good about themselves. These three women, all in their 70’s and beyond were so stinking gorgeous. They had a light and countenance that radiated from the inside out. That day I decided THAT was what I wanted to become.

You’re a lover of all kinds of music – what makes music good to you?
Music. Oh blessed Music. What would a life be without it. I grew up in a home where we listened to everything from Mitch Miller sings along, to Doris day and “How much is that doggie in the Window” to Fleetwood Mac and Elton John. Music was definitely the background to my life. I can tell you when a song was made, just by the memory that I have that goes along with it. Just like in a motion picture, without the music, the movie would not take on emotion and excitement, so it is with my life. I guess what makes music good to me is the emotion it evokes, or the beat and the adrenlin it causes. I have to FEEL something, whether it is great words or a story, or just awesome rhythm. I especially appreciate LIVE music. It literally makes me giddy with excitement! I have been to so many concerts in my life that I cannot count them all, from country to rock-n roll. My dad brought home a piano when I was young and I was able to take lessons,. I went a little further then both of my sisters. I loved playing. Then when I was a teenager my dad brought home an awesome jukebox. To me it was the greatest thing we could ever have in our own home. I felt amazing. I spent countless hours picking numbers and listening to 45’s. What would life be, really, without all the musical greats.

What do you want the world to know about you, that they might not already know?
I always say things that embarrass, or make people feel uncomfortable, I always have, I am working on being better. I guess I want people to know that I have a rough exterior, but I love the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints with all my heart. I have often strayed from its teachings throughout my younger years and I always felt guilty and knew that I needed to Repent for my misdeeds. I have an especially strong Testimony of the Atonement. The Savior went through every sin and affirmity possible so that he might be there to helps us when the time came that he knew we would have to go through it also. I also know, without any doubt in my mind that I will see my loved ones again who have gone before me. That gives me so much peace. My family is THEE most important thing to me and that includes my immediate family, extended family and my husband’s family. Also once someone makes it into my heart, they are trapped there and will never get out. I will love them forever!